Yellow imp
The Yellow imp is a type of demon encountered in Ōkami and Ōkamiden. It belongs to the Imps category of demons. Description The Yellow imp is first encountered at Hana Valley during Amaterasu's trip there to regain a Celestial Brush technique of hers, in order to revive the Guardian Sapling of Shinshu Field. It is encountered in the cave where the wall mural depicts the ritual of the Guardian Sapling is. The Yellow imp has a sickly yellow color of its flesh and body. It also has monkey-like hands and feet, and move in a manner similar to simians. It wears tattered clothing of varying shades of yellow, from a light color to a dark earth-like saturation. Like all imps, it wears a paper mask on its face, and depicts a kana unique from other imps. This mask bears the katakana ハ (ha). In Ōkamiden, the Yellow imp is first encountered at Shinshu Field, at the base of the steep bridge outside of Tama's house after Chibiterasu and Kuni had talked to the pyrotechnist when he was sick. The Yellow imp is now a muscular creature with a yellow coat, a mask and a child's hat. However, the most noticeable thing about this demon is the kendama toy set it wields. The ball of the set is actually a human skull, pierced on the top with a wooden stake where the string of the set is tied to, and the cups of the set is actually a mallet, with carvings of an eye on its sides as decoration. Background This demon is often portrayed as strange troublemakers and carriers of diseases. At times, it would burrow underground and create shockwaves with its drum to attack human. In Ōkamiden, the Yellow imp is depicted as a devious demon who haunts the land for parts of its kendama set. If one encounters this demon, that person must immediately fled, lest be ripped apart and used as parts of the set. Tales also hold that this demon once attacked a samurai. Instead of fleeing, he battled the demon, and killed it after turning its attack back to itself. ''Ōkami'' "Folklore has it that these Imps never cease in their mischief. Burrowing beneath the ground, they sound their mighty drums. The drums' vibrations shake the earth. Jump to avoid this attack. Legends tell us to lure them from the ground and strike them from behind. Though riddled with disease, they are often portrayed whimsically. These stories are meant to make them seem less threatening." ''Ōkamiden'' "If you see a ghostly silhouette playing with a kendama toy...RUN! The 'ball' at the end of the toy is, in fact, a human skull. This devious creature haunts the land in search of body parts for his toy. Legends say the demon tossed the bones at a samurai who cut them out of the air. These bones hit the imp on the head and made him dizzy. They say the samurai then handily defeated the demon." Strategy ''Ōkami'' The Yellow imp spends much of its time burrowing underground: it will immediately attempt to dig into the ground upon spawning in, and will then move in a series of steps of fixed length. After four or so of these moves, it will poke its head up from the ground: if Amaterasu is within its line of sight, the Imp will begin to pound on its drum, with the second pound producing a large ground shockwave. If she is not, it will be confused, and will be vulnerable to attack. When attacked during the latter state, the Imp will come up out of the ground and gain new attacks, flailing with its fists if inked, and if not, lifting its drum up to its shoulder and firing a powerful blast from it, which will also knock the demon backwards and stun it. Eventually it will burrow back into the ground and resume its digging. Typically it is necessary to defeat it within one burrowing cycle to net the maximum time bonus for a battle. The ideal strategy is to use the Celestial Brush to scribble over the Imp as soon at it appears to prevent it from starting its burrowing animation: a Cherry Bomb also works, but is much harder to set up. Once inked, the demon will trapped on the surface and will start blindly flailing its arms, making approaching it dangerous: this can immediately be ended by hitting it with a Cherry Bomb. If going for maximum bonuses from it, however, wait for it to brush the ink off, and take this chance to use Golden Fury and Brown Rage on it (if the Thief's Glove has already been obtained, then use it in conjunction with the hidden strike glitch to prevent the Yellow imp from dying immediately). After brushing the ink off, the demon will attempt to fire a blast with its drum; execute a Sub-Reflector counterattack to immediately kill it, or if not sure of the timing, use a Cherry Bomb to knock it out of the attack animation. When the Yellow imp is killed, use Power Slash as its Floral Finisher. If Amaterasu does not have the items and techniques above, then immediately when a Yellow imp emerges, scribble over it and get behind it, then attack it to its death. If it starts to fire the drum blast, use a Sub-Reflector counterattack to kill the demon immediately. If it burrows underground, then keep a close eye for the imp's track. When this mark stops moving, immediately run behind it before the imp emerges, thus confusing it after resurfacing: if this is not done, there is a small window to damage it, but it will always burrow back into the ground after completing the shockwave attack. Bash it to its death, then use Power slash as its Floral Finisher. ''Ōkamiden'' When a Yellow imp emerges, it will immediately take off and stay airborne by spinning the string and skull of its kendama set like a rotor. While flying, the demon will also constantly hurl explosive skulls down at Chibiterasu, which can be deflected back at the demon with Power Slash and get it out of the air, and also stunning it. When it is down, bash it until it came to, which then immediately run to a certain distance, as the Yellow imp will hurl another skull at Chibiterasu, and the distance will help in deflecting it, stunning it again. Resume assaulting it. If it doesn't throw the skull, then it will rise to the air. Repeat the process of bringing it down. Later in Chibiterasu's adventure, Glaives will be available for use, which is great for their heavy hits. However, the most effective solution is the Providence Crystal. Any element will damage it, but Lightning will deal the most damage, and may kill it in a single hit. Once it is killed, use a well-placed Cherry Bomb as its Floral Finisher. Trivia *The combat styles of the Yellow imp and Blue imp of Ōkami had been swapped with each other in Ōkamiden. **In Ōkami, the Yellow imp burrows and attack Amaterasu, while in Ōkamiden, it takes the air to assault Chibiterasu. **In Ōkami, the Blue imp flies on its kite and attack Amaterasu with projectiles, while in Ōkamiden, it burrows underground and attack Chibiterasu with bubbles and claws. *According to a comment made upon having to fight Yellow imps at the Demon market during the tournament there, Kuni revealed that had a personal dislike for demons who utilize aerial combat. Whether this quote is directed to airborne demons in general or to the Yellow imps themselves is unknown. References Category:Imps